The present invention relates generally to parts washers, particularly to parts washers of noncorrosive material to handle alkaline detergents and like biodegradable solvents or washing solutions, and specifically to parts washers of a modular construction allowing quick assembly and disassembly.
During the manufacture and maintenance of mechanisms, it is necessary to remove oil, grease, dirt, carbon, varnish, baked on grime, and like elements from the components before assembly or reassembly of the mechanisms. This is often performed in a parts wash system where a washing solution is circulated past the components desired to be degreased and cleaned. Solvents which have been used in the past include Stoddard and 111 Trichlorethelene which are flammable and considered to be hazardous to the environment in that fumes are released to the atmosphere which are harmful to persons in the vicinity and that the liquid contaminated with the elements cleaned from the components must be disposed of. Thus, an increasing need has been seen for biodegradable washing solutions to replace prior hazardous solvents.
While such a need exists, replacement of hazardous solvents by biodegradable washing solutions has been slow even though environmental agencies and groups have been pushing for such replacements. One problem is that many if not most biodegradable washing solutions do not perform as well as existing hazardous solvents, but rather are generally slow and short lived. Further, biodegradable washing solutions themselves pose new problems. Particularly, such biodegradable washing solutions are highly corrosive to existing parts washers themselves. Additionally, the performance of biodegradable washing solutions typically increases with elevated temperatures.
Thus, a need exists for parts washers formed of noncorrosive material to handle biodegradable washing solutions. Additionally, a need exists for parts washers allowing heating of nonflammable washing solutions to increase the chemical performance of such washing solutions. Further, a need exists for parts washers of a modular construction which can be quickly assembled and disassembled. Furthermore, a need exists for a parts washer which is economical to manufacture, service, and operate and particularly which is generally competitive with prior upright barrel parts washers to the point that biodegradable washing solution parts washers are economically competitive with hazardous solvent parts washers and without considering the environmental benefits of biodegradable washing solutions over hazardous solvents.